Retired farmer Don Harley, of Wanaka, has started the "Food for Families" project, which aims to provide a regular supply of processed meat to be distributed by welfare groups and he hopes the scheme will spread throughout the region.
The supply chain began with the Upper Manuherikia Young Farmers Club, which canvassed farmers earlier this year when they were culling stock, and asked for a donation of one or two dry ewes to the cause.
The sheep were then sent to the freezing works and the proceeds used to buy mince and sausages to be given to foodbanks.
"We looked initially at getting the sheep killed and donating that mutton directly to the foodbanks, but the regulations involved made it too complicated. My idea was to use the proceeds to buy mince and sausages because I knew those goods would stretch much further for families in need, " Mr Harley said.
He used to farm at Cambrian and got the Upper Manuherikia club involved because it was an active club and he knew most of the farmers in the area they canvassed.
"They didn't get many refusals," he said.
Mr Harley has a friend involved with the Anglican Family Care Centre in Dunedin who told him about the difficulties experienced when the company which used to donate sausages to the centre's foodbank went into receivership.
"It occurred to me that this scheme was a way of being able to keep a regular supply to foodbanks."
One delivery has already been made to the Dunedin foodbank, of enough mince and beef sausages to feed between 50 and 100 families, while the second delivery of a similar amount was given to the Combined Churches Foodbank in Alexandra yesterday.
Salvation Army community ministries support worker Deidre Snodgrass was "absolutely stoked" to receive it.
Demand had doubled for emergency food parcels in the past year and the primary items included mince or sausages.
"We used to give out five food parcels a week a year ago, but now it's up to 10 or 12."
Individuals and families from the wider Central Otago area were the clients, she said.
Mr Harley hopes service clubs might also get involved in the scheme, taking the role of canvassing farmers in their respective districts.
Beckers Transport at Oturehua had carted the stock free and others involved in the scheme - Alliance Group, Sausage Alley in Clyde and Fishers Meats in Dunedin had given discounts on their services.
